Compare towns
Bourne vs Brewster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most affordable homes ($576k median).
Brewster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bourne | Brewster |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
10,420Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$103,317±$16kHighest about the MA average |
| Brewster and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$707,700±$51kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,589±$465Highest 10% below MA |
| Brewster and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,397Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% below MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Brewster and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #160 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Brewster |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.